Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia and the Middle East. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about 2150000 km2, making it the fifth-largest country in Asia and the largest in the Middle East. It is bordered by the Red Sea to the west; Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; the Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the east; Oman to the southeast; and Yemen to the south. The Gulf of Aqaba in the northwest separates Saudi Arabia from Egypt and Israel. Saudi Arabia is the only country with a coastline along both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, and most of its terrain consists of arid desert, lowland, steppe, and mountains. The capital and largest city is Riyadh; other major cities include Jeddah and the two holiest cities in Islam, Mecca and Medina. With a population of 32.2 million, Saudi Arabia is the fourth most populous country in the Arab world.
saudi-arabia

Some of the key events about Saudi Arabia

  • 1744
    The First Saudi State was established, marking the beginning of a strict interpretation of Islam
  • 1818
    The Ottoman Empire destroyed the First Saudi State, leading to its collapse
  • 1865
    The Second Saudi State fell, resulting in the exile of the Al Saud family
  • 1932
    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was officially established, unifying various regions under one rule
  • 1938
    Oil was discovered in commercial quantities, transforming the country's economy
  • 1938
    Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia, fundamentally altering the country's economy and society
  • 1960
    Saudi Arabia became a founding member of OPEC, influencing global oil markets
  • 1962
    Slavery was officially abolished in the kingdom
  • 1962
    Saudi Arabia abolished slavery, but faced criticism for the slow implementation of the decision
  • 1969
    The first television broadcast was aired in Saudi Arabia
  • 1973
    Saudi Arabia led an oil embargo against countries supporting Israel, causing a global oil crisis
  • 1975
    King Faisal University was established, expanding higher education opportunities
  • 1979
    The Grand Mosque in Mecca was seized by extremists, resulting in a violent two-week siege
  • 2000
    A series of terrorist attacks began targeting Western and Saudi interests in the country
  • 2005
    Saudi Arabia joined the World Trade Organization, integrating into the global economy
  • 2009
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology opened, advancing research and innovation
  • 2011
    Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in Bahrain to suppress pro-democracy protests
  • 2015
    Women were allowed to vote and run in municipal elections for the first time
  • 2018
    The ban on women driving was lifted, marking a significant social reform
  • 2018
    The murder of a journalist in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul sparked international outrage

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.

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